1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image reading device, and in particular, to an image reading device in which a photographic photosensitive material on which an image is recorded is conveyed at a predetermined conveying speed, and the image of the photographic photosensitive material being conveyed is read for a predetermined reading time.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional image reading devices are known in which an image recorded on a photographic film is preliminarily read, and on the basis of the information obtained by the preliminary reading, e.g., on the basis of the density of the image, reading conditions for main reading of that image are computed, and main reading of the image is carried out in accordance with the computed reading conditions. Because the reading conditions are computed on the basis of the image density or the like, good reading conditions which correspond to the density of the image can be computed.
When the density of an image is a predetermined value or greater, the light source diaphragm, which is one of the reading conditions, is made as close to a maximum as possible. However, even if the light source diaphragm is made to be a maximum, if the density of the image is a predetermined value or greater, the conveying speed will be too fast or the reading time will be too short. Thus, the image cannot be read properly.
In view of the aforementioned, an object of the present invention is to provide an image reading device which can read an image well even if the density of the image is a predetermined value or more.
In order to achieve the above-described object, the present invention provides an image reading device comprising: a conveying device able to convey a photographic photosensitive material, on which an image is recorded, at a first conveying speed and a second conveying speed which is slower than the first conveying speed; a reading device able to read the image of the photographic photosensitive material, which is conveyed by the conveying device, for a first reading period of time and a second reading period of time which is longer than the first reading period of time; reading determining means for determining whether or not the image can be read properly, on the basis of a density of the image at the time the image of the photographic photosensitive material conveyed by the conveying device at the first conveying speed is read by the reading device for the first reading period of time; and a control device for, in a case in which the reading determining means determines that the image cannot be read properly, carrying out at least one of a first control, in which the conveying device is controlled to convey the photographic photosensitive material at the second conveying speed, and a second control, in which the reading device is controlled to read the image of the photographic photosensitive material for the second reading period of time.
The conveying device can convey the photographic photosensitive material, on which the image is recorded, at the first conveying speed and at the second conveying speed which is slower than the first conveying speed.
The reading device can read the image on the photographic photosensitive material, which is conveyed by the conveying device, at a first reading period of time and a second reading period of time which is longer than the first reading period of time.
The reading determining means determines whether or not the image can be read properly, on the basis of a density of the image at the time the image of the photographic photosensitive material conveyed by the conveying device at the first conveying speed is read by the reading device for the first reading period of time.
If the reading determining means determines that the image cannot be read properly, the image density is high, and thus the first conveying speed will be too fast, or the first reading period of time will be too short. Thus, in this case, the control device carries out at least one of a first control, in which the conveying device is controlled to convey the photographic photosensitive material at the second conveying speed, and a second control, in which the reading device is controlled to read the image of the photographic photosensitive material for the second reading period of time.
In this way, if the density of the image, at the time the image of the photographic photosensitive material conveyed at the first conveying speed is read for the first reading period of time, is high, the photographic photosensitive material is conveyed at the second conveying speed and/or the image of the photographic photosensitive material is read at the second reading period of time. Thus, even if the density of the image is greater than or equal to a predetermined value, the image can be read well.
Further, the second conveying speed is determined on the basis of the density of the image at the time the image of the photographic photosensitive material conveyed at the first conveying speed is read for the first reading period of time, and the second reading period of time is determined on the basis of the second conveying speed.
Moreover, in a case in which the reading determining means determines that the image can be read properly, on the basis of the density of the image at the time the image of the photographic photosensitive material conveyed at the first conveying speed is read for the first reading period of time, the control device may control the conveying device and the reading device such that the image of the photographic photosensitive material is subjected to a main reading.
A second invention is an image reading device comprising: a conveying device for conveying a photographic photosensitive material on which an image is recorded; a reading device for reading the image of the photographic photosensitive material conveyed by the conveying device; determining means for determining a conveying speed at which the image can be read properly, on the basis of a density of the image of the photographic photosensitive material conveyed by the conveying device at the time the image is read by the reading device; and a control device for controlling the conveying device such that the photographic photosensitive material is conveyed at the conveying speed determined by the determining means.
Namely, the conveying device conveys the photographic photosensitive material on which the image is recorded, and the reading device reads the image of the photographic photosensitive material conveyed by the conveying device.
On the basis of the density of the image at the time the image of the photographic photosensitive material conveyed by the conveying device is read by the reading device, the determining means determines a conveying speed at which the image can be read properly.
The control device controls the conveying device such that the photographic photosensitive material is conveyed at the conveying speed determined by the determining means.
In this way, on the basis of the density of the image, a conveying speed at which the image can be properly read is determined, and the photographic photosensitive material is conveyed at the determined conveying speed. Therefore, even if the density of the image is greater than or equal to a predetermined value, the image can be read properly.
The image reading device of the second invention may be structured such that the conveying device is able to convey the photographic photosensitive material at a first conveying speed and a second conveying speed, the reading device is able to read the image of the photographic photosensitive material for a first reading period of time and a second reading period of time, and on the basis of a density of the image at the time the image of the photographic photosensitive material conveyed by the conveying device at the first conveying speed is read by the reading device for the first reading period of time, the determining means determines whether or not the image can be read properly, and in a case in which the determining means determines that the image cannot be read properly, the determining means determines the second conveying speed to be the conveying speed at which the image can be read properly.
The second conveying speed is determined on the basis of the density of the image at the time the image of the photographic photosensitive material conveyed by the conveying device at the first conveying speed is read by the reading device for the first reading period of time.
The image reading device of the second invention may be structured so as to further comprise an illuminating device for illuminating light onto the photographic photosensitive material, wherein the determining means determines an amount of light which is different than (e.g., either greater than or less than) an amount of light illuminated onto the photographic photosensitive material by the illuminating device at the time the density of the image is determined, and on the basis of the amount of light determined by the determining means, the determining means determines the conveying speed at which the image can be read properly, and the control device controls the illuminating device such that the amount of light determined by the determining means is illuminated onto the photographic photosensitive material, and the control device controls the conveying device such that the photographic photosensitive material is conveyed at a conveying speed which is determined on the basis of the amount of light determined by the determining means.
In this way, an amount of light, which is different than the amount of light illuminated onto the photographic photosensitive material at the time the density of the image is determined, is determined. On the basis of this determined amount of light, a conveying speed at which the image can be read properly is determined. The determined amount of light is illuminated onto the photographic photosensitive material, and the photographic photosensitive material is conveyed at a conveying speed determined on the basis of the determined amount of light. Therefore, for example, in a case in which an amount of light, which is greater than the amount of light illuminated onto the photographic photosensitive material at the time the density of the image is determined, is determined, even if the density of the image is a predetermined value or more, the image can be read properly, the conveying speed can be made relatively fast, and the processing time can be shortened.
A third invention is an image reading device comprising: a conveying device for conveying a photographic photosensitive material on which an image is recorded; a reading device for reading the image of the photographic photosensitive material conveyed by the conveying device; determining means for determining a reading period of time of the reading device at which the image can be read properly, on the basis of a density of the image of the photographic photosensitive material conveyed by the conveying device at the time the image is read by the reading device; and a control device for controlling the reading device such that the image of the photographic photosensitive material is read for the reading period of time determined by the determining means.
The conveying device conveys a photographic photosensitive material on which an image is recorded, and the reading device reads the image of the photographic photosensitive material conveyed by the conveying device.
The determining means determines a reading period of time of the reading device at which the image can be read properly, on the basis of the density of the image when the image of the photographic photosensitive material conveyed by the conveying device is read by the reading device.
The control device controls the reading device such that the image of the photographic photosensitive material is read for the reading period of time determined by the determining means.
In this way, on the basis of the density of the image, the reading period of time of the reading device at which the image can be properly read is determined, and the image of the photographic photosensitive material is read for the determined reading period of time. Therefore, even if the density of the image is greater than or equal to a predetermined value, the image can be read properly.
The third invention may be structured such that, on the basis of the density of the image, the determining means also determines a conveying speed of the photographic photosensitive material, and the control device also controls the conveying device such that the photographic photosensitive material is conveyed at the conveying speed determined by the determining means.
Further, the third invention may be structured so as to further comprise an illuminating device for illuminating light onto the photographic photosensitive material, wherein the determining means determines an amount of light which is different than (e.g., either greater than or less than) an amount of light illuminated onto the photographic photosensitive material by the illuminating device at the time the density of the image is determined, and on the basis of the amount of light determined by the determining means, the determining means determines a reading period of time of the reading device at which the image can be read properly, and the control device controls the illuminating device such that the amount of light determined by the determining means is illuminated onto the photographic photosensitive material, and the control device controls the reading device such that the image of the photographic photosensitive material is read for a reading period of time which is determined on the basis of the amount of light determined by the determining means. In this case, on the basis of the determined amount of light, the determining means determines the conveying speed and the reading period of time of the reading device for proper reading of the image. The control device controls the illuminating device such that the amount of light determined by the determining means is illuminated onto the photographic photosensitive material. Further, the control device controls the reading device such that the image of the photographic photosensitive material is read for the reading period of time determined on the basis of the determined amount of light. The control device also controls the conveying device such that the photographic photosensitive material is conveyed at the conveying speed determined on the basis of the determined amount of light.
The third invention may be structured such that the conveying device is able to convey the photographic photosensitive material at a first conveying speed and a second conveying speed; the reading device is able to read the image of the photographic photosensitive material for a first reading period of time and a second reading period of time; and on the basis of a density of the image at the time the image of the photographic photosensitive material conveyed by the conveying device at the first conveying speed is read by the reading device for the first reading period of time, the determining means determines whether or not the image can be read properly, and in a case in which the determining means determines that the image cannot be read properly, the determining means determines the second reading period of time to be the reading period of time at which the image can be read properly.
The second reading period of time is determined on the basis of the second conveying speed.